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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

OMG! What a year 2013 has been! As I was looking back through the bazillion books I read this year, trying to narrow it down to ONLY my top 10, I realized that I have read a TON of GREAT books this past year. There were very few that I didn’t enjoy. Now, narrowing it down to my top ten was tough! So I will go ahead and admit, I cheated a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know! No cheating! But the way I see it, most of my books belong to a series, and you can’t just post 1 book in a series without posting all of the others J So here’s my top ten, in no particular order. Enjoy! I know I sure did! (My name is Lauren, and I’m a series addict, hehe)

Book 1 - Stalk Me***FREE***:Keatyn’s life is following the script she wrote for the perfect high school experience. She's popular, goes to the best parties, dates the hottest guy, and sits at the most-coveted lunch table. But she’s thinking about giving it all up to date an adorable surfer. So she writes a new script. One where all the pieces of her life come together in perfect harmony. But little does she know, there's someone who will do anything to make sure that doesn't happen.

Stretching from coast to coast and teeming with loathed villains and beloved heroes, The Mystic Series is rich with emotion, magic and intrigue. Whether the reader is laughing, crying or falling in love, they'll find themselves invested in Layla's fate through the rich dialogue and emotionally driven characters that weave the web of this fiery tale.

You know, being friends with two cute boys does have its benefits.
There's Danny. Danny is a golden boy in every way. He has dreamy blue eyes and blonde hair that always looks perfect, even when it’s windblown or been stuck under a football helmet. He’s the boy every girl crushes on. The boy I get into trouble with, the boy I fight with, the hot quarterback no girl can resist, not even me. Being with Danny is like being on an adventure. He has a bright, contagious smile and abs to die for. He’s pretty much irresistible.
Equally crush worthy is Phillip. Adorable, sweet Phillip, who I have known since birth. Phillip has dark hair, a perfect smile, brown eyes, and the sexiest voice I have ever heard. He’s the boy I talk to every night before I go to sleep. The boy who rescues me, the boy who can read my mind, the boy who is always there for me, the boy who tries to keep me out of trouble, the boy who irritatingly keeps getting hotter, and whose strong arms always seem to find their way around me. And when he gives me that grin, I can never say no.
One boy will give me my very first kiss. One boy will teach me to make out. One boy will take me to prom. And finally, one boy will ask me to marry him. They will both be my best friends. But only one of them will be the boy I fall in love with.
Only one of them is That Boy.

Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a Kitchen Aid mixer to die for, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O. Adding insult to O-less, she also has an oversexed neighbor with the loudest late-night wallbanging she’s ever heard. Every moan, spank, and—was that a meow?—punctuates the fact that not only is she losing sleep, she still has—yep, you guessed it—no O. Enter Simon Parker. When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. Their late-night hallway encounter has…well…mixed results. Because with walls this thin, the tension’s gonna be thick. A delicious mix of silly and steamy, this is an irresistible tale of exasperation at first sight.

The Unidentified Redhead- When Grace Sheridan returns to Los Angeles to become a working actress, it’s a second shot at a life-long dream. With some help from her best-friend agent, will that dream become a reality—or at thirty-three, has Grace missed her chance at the big time? And when an unexpected sizzling romance with Jack Hamilton, the entertainment industry's newest “it” boy, threatens to shine an uncomfortable spotlight on her life, how will that affect her career…and his?

Funny, borderline neurotic Grace is perfect in her imperfections, and the sexual chemistry between her and charming yet blissfully unaware Jack is off the charts. With laugh-out-loud dialogue and a super-steamy romance that will get your heart racing, sneaking around in L.A. and dodging the paparazzi has never been so fun.

At the start of her senior year at Kingsbrook College, a small school in Northern Michigan, Ariya Adams has a perfectly normal existence. Determined to make this her best year yet, she attends her classes and hangs out with the friends she has come to love more than life.
That is until the arrival of the sexy and mysterious transfer student James Rymer, who captivates her affections almost instantly. With her emotions on the fritz for no apparent reason, and unsure if he shares her feelings, Ariya finds herself on an emotional rollercoaster in which everything she knows and loves is questioned.
When fantasy and reality mix, Ariya’s world is turned upside down and she learns that “normal” isn’t what she thought it was. Danger soon comes for her and she discovers that everyone has been keeping secrets from her. The battle between one’s duty and what feels right will have to be fought and it may be a struggle for Ariya to stay alive. When Ariya’s life and the lives of the people she cares for most are endangered, she learns to never underestimate the power of blood.Purchase links: Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

To want what you’re not supposed to have… She is only nineteen. She is his new stepfather’s daughter. She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother. But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that… Blaire just may have fallen too far.

He's a game she never intended to play.
And she's the game changer he never knew he needed.
The Perfect Game tells the story of college juniors, Cassie Andrews and Jack Carter. When Cassie meets rising baseball hopeful Jack, she is determined to steer clear of him and his typical cocky attitude. But Jack has other things on his mind...like getting Cassie to give him the time of day.
They are damaged, filled with mistrust and guarded before they find one another (and themselves) in this emotional journey about love and forgiveness. Strap yourselves for a ride that will not only break your heart, but put it back together.
Sometimes life gets ugly before it gets beautiful...

Wow, another year just about gone! I think someone pushed the fast-forward button when I wasn't looking! Let's close out 2013 with "Thank You" for the good times, hopefully not too many bad times and look ahead with great expectations for 2014!

There were so many wonderful books that brought so much to me this year that it was pretty tough to pick just 10, but after a lot of struggle and book boyfriend battles... here they are...in no particular order, my

2013 Top Ten Reads

Lothaire

By Kresley Cole

From the Immortals After Dark Series

Overview

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole continues her electrifying Immortals After Dark series with this thrilling tale, revealing secrets of the Lore, fierce realm of the immortals...

ALL FEAR THE ENEMY OF OLDDriven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore's most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde's crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness--until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HERGrowing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she'd be convicted of murder--or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month's time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.

CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED
Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia-old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past...or risk everything for a future with her?

Have you ever heard of the old Celtic legends of the Fae - beautiful, magical, deadly and a love of messing with humans just for kicks and giggles?
Welcome to my world.
What started out as a strange assignment, leads to one of the most gruesome murder mysteries of our times and my friends and I are set and determined to find out who is killing off Fae and Witches alike.
Couple of problems in the way – I hate the Fae and the Prince of the Dark Fae is bound and determined that I work for him. He’s a rude, overbearing egotistical ass with a compulsive need to possess, dominate and control me. Oh – did I mention that he is absolutely sex-on-a-stick gorgeous and he makes me feel things that I never ever wanted to feel for a Fae…every time he touches me or looks at me with those golden eyes seems to pull me further in under his spell, despite my better judgment.
My friends and I can’t trust anyone and nothing is as it seems on the surface – not even me.

Warning: Mature content and language not intended for anyone under the age of eighteen.

This book is not intended for anyone under the age of 18, or anyone who doesn't like lip biting, throw your ass on the bed, tear your clothes off and leave you panting dominant alpha male characters. This is a dark, dangerous, intense, gritty and raw. Scenes are dark, disturbing, and scorching HOT. This book is a soul crushing, tear jerking, and leave you hanging on the edge of your seat fast paced book. Side Effects may include, but are not limited to: Drooling, lip biting, wet panties, crying, and screaming at the author. If any of these things happen, do not seek medical attention—get the next book in the series and enjoy the ride!

Stand Alone Novel - Spin-off from the Lux Series...but not YA category, for 18+ due to mature content

Overview

He's arrogant, domineering, and... To. Die. For.

Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something...unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life...or is it Hunter?

Adam and I are both going through identity crises of epic proportions as we Transition from who we were, and discover who we were meant to be. More Fae are dying, and I feel as if time is running out for us to find all of those responsible and put an end to the killings.

The people I thought I could trust have betrayed me and the one person I should absolutely not trust; is taking me deeper and deeper into his world.

Ryder’s secrets are dangerous and devastating.

With each touch and word, he pulls my heart closer to himself and at the same time he is trying to keep me at arm’s length. The dance he and I have begun, is getting more complicated as our worlds are being shaken from all sides, and the visions of the future are frightening, and nothing like I had ever pictured for myself or those I care for.

This time, destiny is taunting me.

I had always thought that I controlled my destiny. Now, my rights are being taken from me by powerful people and leaving me with alternatives that range between bad and awful.

This time, the choices I have to make can decide the fate of both worlds.

First Grave on the Right is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.

Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely

She's a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure-but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.

Two lovers will dare to risk all.

Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable-and let Tayla possess him, body and soul . . .

Siobhan Ashdown was born of magic; it rides her blood like a phantom, tainted and dark and unpredictable. She is a warlock, and the power within her is unlike any before known to her kind. So it’s no surprise that the most powerful of the demons who feed off of this warlock magic not only recognizes the enormous potential she represents but determines that he will possess her at any cost.
Even if it means war with the entire supernatural world.

Thanatos has ruled Purgatory as the Phantom King since time immemorial. King of a vast plane of solitude, he is a free spirit, a lone rider, a tattooed man of wind and dust and nonexistent boundaries. Then he turns around one morning to find himself face to face with Siobhan Ashdown, a woman with hair as red and wild as his soul, eyes like melted gold, and a spirit as elusive as his own. Time stops, the world tilts, and the fact that she attacks him right off the bat does little to deter his romantic convictions - or his desire to sink his fangs into her neck.

Thirteen Kings are severed by lust and greed, an ancient vampire and his rogue creation lay claim to what is not theirs, the whisperings of war begin to shake the foundation of the supernatural world, and primordial evil awakens from its slumber to slither across the land in this second installment in the Big Bad Wolf spinoff series, The Kings, by Heather Killough-Walden

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life

Lacey’s Story…
Covering up pain is easy. It’s keeping it tucked away that’s hard. I’ve always needed the cover of tattoos to hide the nasty past that leached its way into me, tainting me beneath my skin. Not the shiny, trendy tats, but the ugly broken kind, meant to keep the world at bay. If they weren’t enough, then my piercings, foul mouth and crazy hair usually did the trick. Life had taught me to never follow the rules, because when you do, you get burned.
That philosophy served its purpose, until I met someone who turned my life upside down. Milly, the little hoochie, stormed into my life and changed everything with her undying faith in me, her love and her shitty coffee concoctions. I found a family in Milly, and her sexy farm boy, Cree. She accepted me without hesitation, and never ran from the dark and dangerous secrets that I harbored. My new family loved me unconditionally, with their showers of sprinkles and impromptu dance parties.
My life was perfectly imperfect until Tripp and his crazy-ass ideas of princesses. Our relationship is what most would describe as fuel meeting fire. We were both hell bent on burning each other to the ground. Tripp, fresh out of rehab, moved in with Milly and Cree to try and make a new life for himself. Tripp, the sexy as hell, charismatic beast, soon became one of my best friends. We shared our love of ice cream and tattoos as we blazed our own path that could only lead to a beautiful train wreck. The only question left is, will we set the countryside ablaze with our hot tempers and foul mouths, or will we paint our own happy ending filled with all the gushy shit normal people crave?

Life couldn't have possibly gotten worse for the demon king Alrik. But it did. He lost the love of his life. Days spent clouded in black and gray were brightened only with the lovely Arianna near. Her light kept the darkness at bay if only for a few moments.

And now she's gone leaving him alone. Now he has nobody. But he has purpose.

A purpose--steely determination—for revenge against the one who cursed him. His mother. She's out there in the rift, gathering forces, for what, he's unsure. A mere human witch by the name Abbigail Krenshaw is the key to saving himself and killing his mother--or so a little old seer tells him under sword point. Small, fragile, and breakable Abbigail almost reminds him of his lost love, yet she's different. Strong, charming, always pushing him in ways that Arianna wouldn’t dare. He can feel her worming her way into his battered, blackened heart and can't decide whether he wants to close her inside forever, or lock her out.

He needs Abbigail. He needs the human witch to sacrifice herself in order to save his tortured soul. He's more than willing to sacrifice her for his purpose, but the more he's around her, the more difficult it becomes to uphold the decision. Can he really use her to save himself and let her die? His heart screams no but his mind says yes.﻿

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We're five book loving ladies who started out as strangers and bonded over our shared love of reading. We're here to give you honest reviews, share up and coming authors, host fun giveaways, and have discussions on the books we read. We LOVE feedback and getting comments/messages from you! Thanks for all the love!